Green Party launches new campaign

Stopping asset sales, getting government backing for the Auckland CBD rail link and engaging everyday citizens in the political process will be among the Green Party's key goals for 2013, co-leader Metiria Turei announced today.

Speaking at the party's annual "picnic for the planet" event in Auckland's Mt Eden, Mrs Turei slammed the National-led Government for its "business as usual, lazy thinking" and launched a campaign that "more effectively puts our modern political thought into action".

The campaign, called "I'm in - for the future", will involve Green Party representatives contacting people who sign up and engaging them in political activities.

"We will talk to you about the kinds of actions you would like to get involved with, the kind of help we need, the kind of things that you're interested in," Mrs Turei said in her speech.

"This is what campaigning looks like in the 21st century where you have on-the-ground, grassroots campaigns with networks of people that are taking action."

Mrs Turei said the party's first priority of 2013 was to stop asset sales by collecting the remaining signatures needed to force a referendum.

"The Government is in a mad rush to get rid of two power companies this year. We can build an even stronger public campaign to force a referendum and we will deliver a stinging rebuke to this policy when we vote in a referendum."

Once the Government had been stopped from selling the country's assets, the Greens would turn their attention to building new ones like the Auckland CBD rail link, Mrs Turei said.

"Yes, we need a mayor and a council elected in Auckland committed to building the rail link. But we have that already and the link isn't being built. We need to build pressure on the Government in Wellington to deliver the public transport Aucklanders want and need."

She warned that the Government would fight the looming 2014 election with "fear and money".

"They will scare-monger about the Greens and they will throw every cent from their very deep pockets so they can stay in power and deliver more of the same failures.

"And we will fight their fear and money with people and passion. What we lack in dollars we will make up for with action."